As The Matrix Resurrections’ release date inches closer (or so we hope), we're finally starting to get some information as to what we can expect in terms of story from the new installment of the sci-fi franchise, thanks to the release of new footage. Up to this week, we knew very little about the production, which kept everything but the featured cast under wraps. Now, Warner Bros. has decided to reveal the first tease of the upcoming Matrix sequel at this year's CinemaCon.
While the clips shown at the event haven’t made it to YouTube or other digital platforms, for now we have to hold on to the teaser’s description. The good news is, the footage described finally sheds some light on what the story of The Matrix Resurrections is about, and it seems that director and screenwriter Lana Wachowski has, once again, a lot to say about the world we live in – especially our use of cell phones.
In a detailed post about CinemaCon, The Hollywood Reporter described The Matrix Resurrections’ clip scene by scene, revealing what happened to Neo (Keanu Reeves), how Trinity (Carrie Anne Moss) comes back, and which characters Neil Patrick Harris and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will be playing. You can see the full description below:
The trailer began with Thomas Anderson (Reeves) in therapy, telling his therapist (Neil Patrick Harris), “I had dreams that weren’t just dreams. Am I crazy?” He senses something is not quite right with the world, but he has no memory of what The Matrix is. Later, he runs into a woman (Moss) at a coffee shop. They shake hands, and there seems to be something between them, but neither one remembers the other. Meanwhile, Reeves’ Thomas spends his days taking prescription blue pills, and wondering why everyone in his world is glued to their phones — looking around and realizing he’s the only one on a crowded elevator not looking at a device.
Eventually, Reeves’ Thomas runs into a man (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is reminiscent of Morpheus, the freedom fighter played by Laurence Fishburne in the original trilogy. This mysterious man hands Anderson a red pill, and soon we see footage of him with powers, seeing The Matrix for the fake reality that it is. The footage followed some similar beats of the original, including Neo (Reeves) fighting the Morpheus-like figure in a dojo, and an image of Anderson in an incubator. There’s also a shot of Neo looking in a mirror and seeing an older version of himself. Neo also seems to have a few new powers from the last time, with the trailer including a shot of what looks like him controlling a missile through telekinesis to prevent it from hitting him.
The Matrix was a genre-defining action and sci-fi film that premiered in 1999. Its combination of action and philosophy made it an instant classic and spawned two sequels, both of which came out in 2003. The three films have in total grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide. The new installment's announcement sparked wide fan speculation since The Matrix Revolutions had seemingly brought the story to a close.
In addition to Reeves and Moss, the sequel's returning cast includes Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe, Lambert Wilson as The Merovingian, and Daniel Bernhardt as Agent Johnson. New additions for The Matrix Resurrections are Andrew Caldwell, Priyanka Chopra, Jonathan Groff, Jessica Henwick, Ellen Hoffman, Eréndira Ibarra, Toby Onwumere, Max Reimelt, Christina Ricci, and Brian J. Smith.
The Matrix Resurrections is set to release both in theaters and HBO Max on December 22.